Your Arm's Too Short to Fight with Thomas Pynchon

[David Morris]

On Wed, Apr 30, 2008 at 5:56 AM, Michael Bailey
<michael.lee.bailey at gmail.com> wrote:
>  David Morris wrote, weeks and weeks ago, in re CoL49:
>
> > It's really more a mystery than a detective story, but the two are  closely related.  After all, GR is prety much the same thing, just  much more elaborate.
>
> but as a detective story, it is unsatisfying.  Isn't it?  It has some of the hallmarks but never resolves,  That - I suggest - is because those elements were put in to enhance the fun, not chosen as framework and basis.
>
> the fine writing, the transcendent moments, come not so much from "making a case" as a detective would do, but in describing the way Oedipa perceives reality
>
> the quest always turns toward collecting more data, thinking more refined thoughts, listening to people to whom one has never listened before - not to confronting people or turning guilty parties over to authorities...in fact, turns towards thought more than action
>
> The Crying of Lot 49_, is the name of the story. Therefore, why not parse its meaning as that the relating of those events (ie the actual story) _is_  the offering to the reader of the Lot of information that will reveal further clues? ...the price being attention, outside research, and so forth...
>

Like Slothrop's quest in GR, Oedipa's is a paranoid's quest.  It
really is a combination of Mystery and Detective because it seeks to
understand/expose a cabal/conspiracy that controls present reality
clandestinely.  It's existence is always a question, hence the seeker
always is obliged to ask the classic question: "Is it me?"

I do think that COL49 is unsatisfying because, like you say, it never
resolves, and the action never goes anywhere.  GR is MUCH better.  The
conspirator's project escapes Their grasp and threatens Their
existence.  The conspiracy is never fully revealed, but it does
unquestionably exist.

David Morris